


Late for a very important date

by liverose



Series: Thought and feeling [2]
Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Confusion, Developing Friendships, Dialogue Heavy, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Mischief, Original Character(s), Protective Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Protective Jaskier | Dandelion, Wrongful Imprisonment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:07:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22586830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liverose/pseuds/liverose
Summary: Geralt and Jaskier return to Lyria and quickly remember why they left. Geralt had left to keep her safe, she wasn't. Jaskier had left because he resented her, perhaps he shouldn't.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Thought and feeling [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1635448
Kudos: 24





	1. What day is it?

**Author's Note:**

> While you can read this as a stand alone my characters will seem (slightly) less random and odd if you read my previous work. 
> 
> I had wanted to do a oneshot, but I have a dialouge problem, just keep writing and writing and won't cut when I should. Next time, practice makes perfect.

"What could be so urgent?" There were no words passing Jaskier's lips that hadn't already run through Geralt's mind as they both stared, heads cocked at the crooked note pinned to the Temarian notice board. "But she had time to write . . .poorly" Anima's handwriting was clunky and smudged.

_'Geralt and Jaskier return to Lyria!!!! - Anima'_

"Hmm" He had ripped the notice from it's resting place, running gloved fingers over the words looking for clues of it's existence. Why had she called for them? When? How did she know they were in Temeria?

"Well it's certainly . . . vague." Jaskier squinted at the words, he was equally unlucky in prying any more knowledge from the note. "Perhaps it's a trap? It's not like she calls out for her lover often." It had been five months perhaps and Jaskier still hadn't fully forgiven or believed Anima. He accepted whatever she had done or said had convinced Geralt that she loved him but what did either of these world hardened damaged beings know about love? He didn't mean for that question to be derogitory or cruel, anything but. Jaskier travelled high and low with Geralt, saw him night and day, knew he was capable, more than capable of feelings. His friend deserved all the finer things he was quick to deny himself and Jaskier saw Anima more of the same. Geralt deserved a soft and giving lover who would ease his aching body and mind with tender words and affection. Much like opting to sleep outside in the rain over a plush warm bed Geralt had settled with wining the favor of the inaccessible icy empath over some eager and warm town woman. If she loved him so much why wasn't she with him? Why had she staid in Lyria? Not sharing in the Witcher's life, only calling out to him via a notice board when she had some unspoken chore for him?

"Maybe." Geralt shoved the note in one of the bags atop Roach. His name, he tried to infer inflection from the writen word but it was dificult. At first he figured it an annoyed reminder, that he had, on the first go around broken his promise to return once a season but if that had been the case she would have said as much wouldn't she? The multiple exclamation marks had implied something slightly more urgent.

"Back to Lyria again?" Jaskier stated almost annoyed, he tired of playing the Inn's in Lyria.

"Hmm." Geralt had already mounted Roach and headed towoards the town exit. He felt if she was in danger he should have known, should have felt it in his bones. A nagging thought plauged him, he had, he had felt a need to return and ignored it. What if it was to late?

\-- A month prior --

They had been camping on the rain flooged ground that Jaskier had moaned about. Geralt had fallen into an easy half sleep as bruised ribs and cheek bones heald from Graviers blows. He had not gotten nearly enough rest when he noticed the cold wet air change, warm ever so slightly as it hit his skin. Something else changed, his heartbeat sped ever so slightly and that could only mean one thing. "Anima?" He could not see her, smell her, hear her but he could feel her. He sat up, scanning the darkness for her. How could she escape his hightened senses if she was so close? Fingers were at a broken cheek, sad shaky fingers touching then pulling back only to touch again. "Where are you?" He called out to her, no answer hit his straining ears. Fingers were replaced by lips, first at the over doted on cheeks then on his own, a faded ghostly kiss. His aching temples stopped thumping as the fingers lost their sadness, found their perch at either side of his head, massaging gently. "Anima what are you doing?" He had given up searching, giving in to feeling as another kiss quieted him. And the touching continued on and on till the ache in his ribs was a distant memory, replaced with a better but equally frustrating ache. "Anima?" He couldn't quite tell if the way his heart sped more was to feed blood to his ache or of Anima's doing but as her caresses grew twitchy he grew more alarmed. "Stop." Concern overrode lust in a hard fought battle. "I don't want-"

"Please." It was Jaskier's voice that brought Geralt back to his senses, cutting off all ties to Anima's touch. "Stop. Your wet dream will give me nightmares." He chuckled from the otherside of the struggling campfire.

"Wet-" Geralt blinked stupefied, had he been dreaming? He let out a groan from deep in his gut as his hips stretched to release some pressure, the ache had been real.

"I'll go . . . somewhere, if you need to take care of that." Jaskier stood and gawked more than a bit amused at the Witcher's state. "Witcher's really do heal fast. Face looks better." The bard diverted before the conversation got too awkward.

"Hmm" Geralt growled not finding the moment nearly as humorous.

"I'm going I'm going" Jaskier was no sadist and had given the Witcher plenty of space. Concern had won the battle but as Geralt slid back down into his bed roll he let lust win the war.

\--Present--

"What do you think happened? Vampires? It's always vampires with those people." The silence was killing Jaskier as they hit their first stop on their way back to Lyria.

"She's in trouble." Geralt reasoned out loud.

"Of course she is. She's always in trouble When is she ever not in trouble? Honestly if she wasn't in trouble I don't know what she'd do with herself. Old hat really." Jaskier tried to aleviate some of the brood weighing down on Geralt's shoulders.

"Tell me again Jaskier. How often have our paths crossed for you to just chat about the weather?" He was being hypocritical, Geralt and Jaskier didn't always travel together and everytime he stumbled upon the bard he was up to his neck in trouble, generally due in large part to what was bellow his belt.

"Fair." Jaskier nodded.

"Why do you hate her?" Jaskier's jaded view of Anima had not gone unchecked by Geralt.

"I don't hate her." Jaskier in an out of character moment put thought to his words. He didn't hate Anima, if he had met a woman her equal tomorrow he'd sit and share a pint with her but it was Anima's relationship with Geralt that crossed him. "I just don't get her." She seemed to be a damsel in distress with no payoff that those tales always promised. She seemed, and to her defense unintentionally so, selfish.

"Hmm" Geralt was oddly content with that answer, almost pleased. He didn't want others to get her like he did, understand what she did for him. He didn't have much to his name, a sword, a mare, a title and he had his Anima all to himself.

"Jaskier you came!" It was Fredrick who popped out of the trees at them as once they breached the outskirts of Lyria.

"I . . . me?" Jaskier squeaked as he tried to act as stoic and prepared as Geralt was for the jump.

"Yes. You've come to rescue Anima haven't you?" The two travelers blinked at him as if he had two heads till he spoke again. "Haven't you?"

"You mean . . . I . . . Geralt's here you know?" Jaskier was not accustomed to being called to save anyone, closest he got was being called on to find the white wolf and that's where his jumbled thoughts landed.

"Yes but if he hadn't brought you what would be the point?"

"Fredrick." Geralt had forgotten how just enough off the hermit was.

"Yes? Oh hello to you too Witcher. It's good to see you too, you're late though you know? you said-"

"Later Fredrick. Where is Anima?"

"The dungeons." He quickly answered so as to go back to what interested him. "I'm just saying . . . just saying if you're going to be late it's the civil thing to do to-"

"Fredrick!" Geralt snapped, this man made Jaskier appear a mute. "The dungeons, why is she there?" It didn't matter all that much why but his training would not allow him to run into a situation blind, despite how his worry beckoned him to.

"Humans gets antsy when non . . . you know people like Anima . . . no offense meant Witcher. When they-"

"Gods spit it out Fredrick!" Jaskier let out a frustrates sigh, he could see how his flowery ramblings could get on Geralt's taut nerves.

"Crimes of banned magic. She's been training a lot lately. All my books are finally getting good use, perhaps we went a bit too far last time I think." A miracle in front of their very eyes Fredrick finished a sentence.

"Training? For what? Is there another tournament coming up?"

"No!" Fredrick seemed personally insulted by the question. "So that Geralt will allow her to go along with him." The word obviously though silent was very much heard. "Maybe then I'll get my additions on time."

"You told her she couldn't come along?" Jaskier had assumed Anima had no desire to sleep out in the rain and was content to live in the city eating jam and babysitting children.

"I asked her." Telling a woman, especially a woman like Anima was never a smart card to play. Luckily she hadn't made him beg. As they had talked months back, her with that sad little satchel of her's he was sure he would have.

\-- Five months ago--

"What did you pack?" The small bag wasn't even full, crumpling at her side under it's emptiness.

"Things." Her smile was infectiously eager, he almost didn't want to speak, didn't want to spoil it.

"Anima, stay here. A little while longer . . . please." And it didn't flee from her face, it did wilt slightly though.

"You don't want me to come? All that talk about letting me keep you bullshit eh?" It was still there, practically to spite the words coming out.

"It's not that and you know it." Geralt sighed, she thought she could talk him out of leaving her again. That smile very well could have given her the leverage to do so.

"Then what is it?"

"You could . . . You could get hurt out there." Nightmare scenarios always played in the back of his mind, always keeping him on edge. "Did you even think to bring a weapon?"

"I have you isn't that weapon enough?" Coyly light then was when she was most dangerous. "I could get hurt here, anywhere I've-" She paused when she heard an over protective grumble come from somewhere in Geralt's chest but she pressed on. "I've got quite the constitution Geralt."

"I'm sure that you do." His voice was dark, angry. That's one of the reasons they chose her, made her, all mutants had in their times as humans shown promise in superior ability to heal from injuries, bear pain. He cursed the glass he always smelled in her blood. _'It must've hurt'_ He had thought to himself more than once.

"Then you know I can take a decent amount. Not as much as you surely but pain's not as earth shattering as humans make it out to be. I'm no shrinking-"

"I can't." He grimaced staring at her wrist, just faint imprints of nailmarks remained.

"What?"

"I can't take watching . . . seeing you hurt." He was embarassed that he felt that way, that the thought of her in pain brought a weakness to his bones he couldn't bear. And what if she died? What if he hurt her? What if she goes and breaks her brain again? Nightmares pushed at all corners of his mind.

"Then I just will have to keep from getting hurt." Ever coy and ever light. "More than a constitution Geralt. I'm more, I can do more." She wanted him to know she planned to be an asset not hindrance.

"Out in the wilds isn't where you learn how to fight Anima. You can learn to survive sure, but creatures bite off their own limbs to survive." He had watched her push herself and he hated it, everytime it gutted him. He knew she'd find a way to be helpful, useful, but he feared she'd pull out her own beating heart to do so.

"Fine." The smile was gone, the coyness the light, just memories. The word was cold and calculated.

"Fine?" He knew that wasn't the end of this conversation. Oh how he wish it could be that simple but Anima was everything but simple.

"I'm just as good as other empaths. Some say better. I'll stay for now learn what I forgot, I'll learn more, I'll be more." It was truly becoming a mantra for her. "The next time I pack this bag I won't take as kindly to being labeled an injured fawn unable to protect myself." She was angry, she tried not to show but her voice had traces of battle webbed in it.

"Anima your being unreasonable." He didn't wish to leave her upset with him.

"I'm being plenty reasonable. I'll stay and I'll train and I'll learn to fight and the next time I pack this bag you'll let me come with you."

"I'll consider it."

"It wasn't an offer it was a statement."

"A statement I'll consider." He breached the small gap between them, leaving down he kissed her forehead lightly. He was close, close to begging her to toss out any ideas of becoming a warrior, a weapon, becoming like him. "Please." He was on the very edge. He felt her arms draped lazily around his neck as she pulled him further down into a kiss. It was soft, relenting even, she'd let him believe any part of the choice was his, for now. She wouldn't make the wolf beg.

\--Present--

"And why does me being here change anything?" Jaskier voiced how out of place the idea was.

"Well we can trade you for her." Again obviously was silent yet implied.

"What?!"

"What would the kingdom want with Jaskier?"

"Hey?! I have many talents and skills that while lost on a brute like ayou re highly coveted by those that apreciate culture." Jaskier gave the unmoveable 'brute' a shove. Geralt was in no mood for rough housing or playful quips.

"Do you want me to trade you in?"

"I . . ." Jaskier measured the seriousness in Geralt's stare. "You wouldn't would you?"

"Hmm" Geralt turned his concentration to the equally irritating Fredrick. "Has Orwen tried reasoning with the powers at be? They've left her alone haven't they?" Questions and nightmares spiraled into one another.

"Orwen? Whose that? Left her alone? Hm I mean I guess, been about a month since she's visited I've gotten quite lonely. I'd ask you to stay for tea but you're already late. I mean Anima's friend Thill came the one day, kids have sticky fingers on them. Oh right Orwen's the husband ain't he?" Fredrick normally had Anima to patiently listen to him prattle on, without her he was a dam overrun.

"A month?" Geralt held onto the one piece of valuable information from Fredrick's purged words. "Come on Jaskier, maybe Thill has her head on straight." This was a dizzying waste of time and a quick way to burn at any remaining patience the Witcher had.

"Family reunion eh?" Jaskier's eyes drifted throughout Thill's and Orwen's comfortably large home, which was stuffed to the rafters with what appeared to be ever patron and worker of Thom's Inn. "Why is it so damn hot in here?" He pulled his collar away from damp skin. It felt like an oven and as they shuffled further inside Jaskier less than Witchery nose picked up on the fact that it smelled like one too.

"Are you . . . baking?" Geralt broad and boarish made a wake of people as he approached Orwen. Is this how they had spent the last month? Eyes caught view of all manner of cakes and pastries covering every free flat surface.

"I bake when I'm stressed." Orwen admitted scratching the back of his head with a nervous laugh. "It got away from me I admit."

"Take me to Anima." Geralt had more than his fill of eccentricities, enough of people.

"I can't just walk you into the Queen's dungeon Geralt it doesn't work like that."

"Not if you don't move your legs." He grabbed the viscount by the shoulder pushing him back towards the door.

"Geralt. Jaskier. You're here!" Thill shouted with a misplaced giddiness. "Orwen go to the castle. Tell Meve Jaskier is here!"

"Has everyone in this city gone completely mad?!" Jaskier looked over to Geralt for confirmation.

"I won't trade Jaskier for Anima. Just get me to-"

"No of course not. Anima wouldn't stand for that. But Meve has quiet the soft spot for bards."

"She does?" Jaskier was slowly growing warm to all the responibilty and necisity for him. He felt valued in a way being contstantly shaddowed by Geralt didn't often allow.

"Yes. She's been quite busy planning tonight's afair but if she's heard that you're here she'll surely give us a moment of her time that we can persuade her."

"Fine. On with it." Geralt much preferred his storm the dungeon idea but it seemed he was the only one with any sense of urgency.

The plan if the word was to be used so losely was Thill, Orwen and Jaskier would atempt to woo the white queen while Geralt checked in on Anima and did his best to pry steel from stone to free her. "We haven't hurt her Witcher." The gaurd who had pulled quite the short straw might not have been an empath but half of Lyria could feel Geralt's ever rising anger. "We know she belongs to-"

"Hmm" The growl seemed to be a warning but the gaurd might have been surprised to know Geralt wasn't listening at all. The Witcher was counting, the steps it was taking to get to her, the minutes it would take to get her out, the realtively safe places he could tuck her away till he came up with a real plan. Geralt might not have been listing up till that point but the gaurd's next statement pierced his ear like a sharpened javilin.

"She asked for this you know?" In dealthy swift fashion Geralt's forearm had collided with his windpipe pinning him against the crowded stairwell wall.

"Asked for this?" It was a misconception that Geralt deplored, that any mutant had asked for what they had become, how their lives had unfolded.

"With manners like that do you really wonder how Witchers get such a bad reputation?" A coy and light sirens call left Geralt disinterested again and dropped the gaurd with a thud. As he spanned the remaining stairs and finally Anima's cell finally came into view he was shocked at her state.

She was fine, a bit dirty and a hair too fidgity but no better outcome of being caged for a month was possible. "Geralt! You're late." She stretched an inch too far and her face bit into a wince as she finally stood. He noticed a hitch in her breathing that hadn't been there before, he attributed it to the musty air as he continued to scan her for any harm befallen her. She couldn't have been lucky enough to find the one prison without a deviant jailer could she? Neither one of them were that lucky.

"So I've heard. Perhaps if the notice had been slightly more illuminating I would have gotten here faster." He doubted it, they hadn't exactly dawdled cross the continent.

"You got the notice?! Which one? Where were you?" Her eyes had no right being so joyful in such a depressing spot.

"Anima what happened?" She had time to send notices to how many cities? How many taverns? What was going on here?

"I got arrested Geralt." She shrugged, you could almost hear Fredrick's silent obviously hang around the statement. "It was bound to happen. Think the city folk have had about enough of me." A hand ran up the nape of her neck. "People think just because they read more books, visit different exotic locations they're more open minded." She didn't love the city life the same way Thill did. They're not, city dwellers, they just have more diplomatic ways of riding themselves of what they didn't understand, such as locking them in a dungeon and throwing away the key. "To their credit it was a bit of a shit show. Perhaps we did push my training a little too far this time." Fredrick had used all too similar words.

"What did you do?" It's not as if Anima was training to be a proper sorceress summoning frighteners, ripping open portals that shouldn't be. Her ability was very personal, who could she have started shit with?

"I was trying to expand my reach, seeing if I could find you."

"Me? Anima you know-" The dream, it hadn't been, she had found him. He remember what energy it took to find Thill only miles away, why would she try for half past Cintra?

"I know you're a pain when you're feet from me but how else was I supposed to test it? Everyone else I know is here."

"You send them farther and farther away in incrimints. You don't just-"

"Damn . . . that actually would have been easier." She pouted, though she shouldn't have been surprised that Geralt was a superior tactician. "Skipped the entire potion Anima. Could've just done that." Her face soured at a lingering bad taste in her mouth. "Ruined a good perfectly good tunic puking your brains out. Less hallucinations, I think I was convinced I could talk to horses at some point." It was hazy at best and she doubted she would want to remember if it wasn't. "Well it worked didn't it? I found you. Did you feel it?"

"I-" He remembered the pain he had in his ribs, a pain that hadn't returned. Had she taken it? Was she struggling to breath while he had stroked himself to visions of her? "Felt you." He admitted with a bit of guilt. "Anima I've told you not to attach yourself to me like that." He reached out, through the bars, running a hand over ribs he was sure he had caused anguish.

"Have you? I'll have to confirm with Jaskier. Where is he?" Anima just noticed the sever lack of bard at the Witcher's side.

"Your group of misfits are convinced that he can sweet talk you out of here." Geralt gave a hearty tug at well stuck steel.

"I won't hold my breath. The lutist still hate me?" Anima hadn't seen Jaskier since he had shouted her straight out of Kagen. "It's fine Meve will let me out eventually."

"Eventually?" He was still so confused, this had to be some type of spell. A very specific, very irritating spell, cast over all of Lyria causing everyone to harp on lateness but have all the time in the world to just have Anima sit in a jail cell.

"I've done some consulting work for her as of late, she's got so much destain for her sons she has no room in her heart to hate mutants." Geralt seemed unswayed with a different and longer plan of wooing the queen. "I have a back up plan. I could just as easily convince a guard to let me out, I just figured magic to solve a problem magic got me into shouldn't be my first choice."

"You won't have to because as always Geralt and I have come in the nick of time to clean up your mess." Jaskier sauntered down the stairs nose up in victory.

"I missed you too bard." Anima gave a relived smile. There was far less animosity in his eyes then last she saw him, perhaps she was growing on him.

"What don't tell me you sold your 'cultured' services to the queen in exhange for Anima?" Geralt snorted pulling again at bars wondering how long at what angle he'd have to wrench to get one lose.

"Better, I'm quite the negotiator Geralt you'd be quite impressed-"

"Out with it." There was a threshold of Jaskier's peacocking that Geralt tolerated and it was nearing capacity.

"Our cultured services Witcher. One night with the queen and your tricky minx will be out by morning."

"What?!" Geralt and Anima shouted in tandem.

"Oh . . . er not like that." Jaskier recoiled from the agressive protest. "I'm not one to share the stage anyway. No, despite what everyone's been bleating. We're not late. We're right on time. Tonight is a Lyrian banquet. I'll perform you'll . . . scare lords away from the buffet or something and in exchange Meve will discreetly pardon Anima for her crimes in the morning."

"That seems . . . suspect." Geralt still very much disliked this 'plan' doubly so now that it included banquets.

"Aww you'll be all dressed up and I'll be stuck down here without a view that's the real crime." Anima jested reaching out to tug at one of Geralt's sleeves. "It's not suspect it's stupid. The whims of nobility normally are. I doubt it's some well thought out plot against you Geralt." Fingers danced soothingly at an arm that found far more sense and stability in solving problems with a blade.

"You two know not all nobles are coreless heathens right? Thill, Orwen-"

"Given enough power he'd burn an orphanage to put up a pie stand." She watched some of that animosity creep back into Jaskier's overly offended gaze. "Kidding bard. Enjoy your party you two." Finger's fell and snaked within Geralt's squeezing his grip softly. He was visibly put off by how this day was so stifilingly people filled, and now he had the night to look forward to. "Geralt come here." She pressed her face against the bars separating them, linen toned eyes gazing up at him sweetly.

"Hmm." He didn't like this, not one bit, the lack of control of this circus was gnawing at him. He kissed her forehead, felt her nose buck up against his chin. She didn't have to put her blood flow in peril to connect to him, to make him feel however she pleased, this contact was taming the wolf. He preferred this, feeling not the essence of her but taking a hip in his hands, feeling her, knowing she was there, leaning into his grasp, knowing she still wanted him, he was still enough for her.

"Love you too Geralt." She kissed along his lower jaw. Pressing close as the situation would allow, the grumble of frustration from Geralt gave an audible sound to how much they missed each other.

"Woman he already needs a bath don't send him out here rutting!" Jaskier interrupted before he became an unwilling voyer. Geralt's hand reluctantly left it's perch at Anima's hip and slammed his palm violently against the cruel bars keeping her away. He let the twinge of pain shoot up his muscles, overriding any budding ache.

"Lets get this over with then." Geralt went in search of this oh so pertinent bath.

"So you do know the words." Jaskier gave a half sincire half mocking clap.

"Doesn't come naturally." Anima admitted that saying I love you still clunked around on the way out her mouth.

"Surprise!" As they entered one of the castle's lesser halls everyone Geralt and Jaskier had ever met in Lyria shouted loudly, crowding them in a mob fashion.

"Jaskier what fresh hell is this?" Geralt's hand twitched where a sword hilt would be, should be but the bard had insited it uncouth to bring it along. He shoved with force at someone who had breached his personal space too carelessly.

"I . . ." Jaskier wasn't pushing or shoving he was taking in their surroundings. "It's a birthday." It was clear to everyone but Geralt. The cakes, from Orwen's home no doubt, a small stack of prsents in the corner, it was a right celebration.

"It's your birthday Jaskier." Even Fredrick had come in fromnthe woods for the event. "Isn't it? Book said it was so it's gotta be."

"Book? Why were you looking up my birth records?" Jaskier was beaming, it should have been a sad realization that he had forgotten his own birthdate but as hugs came in from strangers and friends alike he couldn't muster sadness. "Was this all a set up?"

"Anima." Geralt hadn't stepped one foot forward into this hellscape, turing quickly to storm out of the castle, not to the dungeon, out into the courtyard to seethe.


	2. Grin and Bare it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a party for those willing to attend.

"I was trying to find Anima's heritage, for my records, I'm writing my own book you see. Didn't find anything. She wasn't surprised, I think I upset her, I wanted her not to be upset with me. She tasked me to find your birthday. Difficult challenge. Did you know Jaskier isn't even your name?"

"I . . . I know my name Fredrick." Jaskier gave a worried laugh. "Oh . . . hello there" Glancing down Jaskier saw Thill's daughter Lorna pull at his pant leg. When she finally had his attention she upturned a palm holding a single die.

"Gift!" Her volume was, alarming.

"It had been a full set this morning I swear." Thill with another child hiding behind her gave Jaskier a hug. "Happy birthday Jaskier"

"Thank you." His grin threatened to curl over his ears. "And thank you" He acknowledged Lorna's enthusiasm. "Wouldn't want to be bogged down with an excess of dice anyway, travel light, smart. Thill did . . . did you plan all this?"

"Anima doesn't know much of throwing parties wanted just the group of us at the Inn. Why have a get together when you can have a feast? Took on a life of it's own when people got word. Everyone wanted a chance to be a line in one of your songs Jaskier, they're quite the sensation." That explained the out of place lords and ladies in attendance. It might've seemed pointless to Geralt and Anima but Jaskier knew that being well known was almost as good if not better than knowing one well.

"Thill's guest list just keep growing." Orwen scooped his son onto his shoulder. "Was sure I'd run out of flour."

"It was Anima's idea?" Jaskier gave a skeptical once over the hall that landed back at Thill.

"She hates when people are cross with her just like everyone else. You're opinion of her matters too."

"Then what's with the prison shtick? Throw a party and make Geralt suffer through it while she's got a convenient out? He's not exactly a people person either. He's spent this whole trip worrying himself paler over her." Maybe she cared, maybe she loved Geralt in her own sadistic way but Jaskier couldn't shake the thought that Anima with her Elder's may care attitude was selfish.

"It's not a shtick Jaskier, they threw her in prison, she could've hurt someone, hurt herself if she had half the mind to do so. She went mad she . . . All she has to do is ask to be let out and she'd be free but then she couldn't rationalize giving it a rest."

"Just lost her touch. Doesn't want to admit defeat. Geralt wants to shield her from the world and she's keen to-"

"You weren't there Jaskier!" Thill snapped at Jaskier's shrug of a respone. "She . . . Fredrick's got his books and they're doing their best but they're mostly blind with it. She went somewhere Jaskier, somewhere dark. Before she had Geralt grounding her. Call it shielding or call it cautioning but without someone with strength telling her to stop, to come back, she won't, she'll take it all, past what's worldly if it will get her closer. She's not scared of what she can't do it's what she can." Jaskier was about to ask what exactly had happened but looking around at all the festivities it seemed not the place nor the time. Thill's pitiful atempt at a scowl, more a pout than anything else just clashed with everything.

"Think she'll be sorry she missed it? Least the desserts?" Jaskier wasn't a swordsman but his ability to parry a conversation was seamless.

"Well this wasn't for her, it was for you but yes I'm sure she would've stood the gawks and comanded parlor tricks just to see you get your day Jaskier. Now I'd rather tell her that you got merry and drunk not long in the face. Just have fun ok? Leave the brooding to Geralt."

"I never say no to a pretty lady . . . except that one time in Kerack my biggest regret in life." He left the conversation with a quip but her words sat with him _. 'Gawks and comanded parlor tricks'_ He wondered if that's how Geralt boiled down his interactions with humans that were morbidly fascinated with him.

His stomps were so heavy that he threatened to pace himself to the center of the earth. She had lied, maybe not lied but made great omissions and the thin line separating the two was pitifully unimportant. He was supposed to be able to trust her. How could he now? And for a party? He had run to her for some silly celebration? If she was really in danger how would he be able to tell the difference now? Hadn't she thought of that? She had kept herself from him. Those bars weren't there to keep her in but to keep him out. He hadn't seen her in months and she'd rather hide out in a dungeon than keep him company through this tortuous event of her creation. "Geralt?" Jaskier had finally come to find him.

"Not now." He was boiling absolutely frothing and if he had to speak to one more person he'd explode.

"She really was thrown in jail if that makes things . . . better." Jaskier did not aproach within striking distance instead speaking from the stairs. It should have, should have made it a bit better and in a guilty way it did. She wasn't keeping herself from him, but not a muscle loosened. This brought about new angers. Before him she had down played, hid her abilities. Now that she was exploring them, trying to prove herself to him, she was being cast out. There was less and less room in Lyria for her. She was no longer a barmaid so she didn't fit at the Inn and the city while tolerant to a point, feared her, it would take only a bad crop or a lost battle for them to turn on her. Where was she to go then? The time for consideration was drawing closer. "But . . ." Jaskier took hesitant steps closer to the Witcher still stalking the ground. "Though you might have seemed unconvinced earlier I truly am a great negotiator. I had told the queen that Witcher's don't believe in birthdays that-"

"I believe you were born Jaskier. You remind me how alive you are everday. I might age slowly but it doesn't mean I don't acknowledge the passing of time."

"Well you have yet to wish me a happy birthday so I just assumed."

"Hmm" That was the problem, everyone assumed so much from the little they knew of witchers.

"Well it's what I said. I went onto say that you felt disrespected by this opulant celebration of my greatness that you, nay no Witcher would return to Lyria no matter how dire things get unless-"

"I don't speak for all Witcher's Jaskier."

"Bah they don't know that. Lean your lore to your liking I always say. Anyway told her you would make an exception if Anima was freed."

"And all these sayings worked?" Geralt was still pacing but at least his glare paused as he arched an eyebrow.

"I think she realized how unfair it was to keep me from all my fans and followers. On my birthday non the less."

"You talked her ear off about nothing till she would do anything to get you to stop." It appeared Geralt's scowl was twitching into a smirk, but died a swift death at the sound of footsteps.

"Truly the greatest of all negotiators." Anima shuffled out of the darkness.

"Wait. How?" Jaskier felt the wind pull from his sails, he had been on quiet the heros high.

"How did you expect to get me out Jaskier with what key?"

"I-"

"Meve sent a gaurd for me quickly though, was quite moved by your speach I guess."

Before any more dribbled small talk could be had Geralt was on her, over her, boring holes through her skull. Questions coming and going before he had time to form words. "I would have told you about the party if I was certain you'd go." It was a half limp apology. "You clean up nice as I thought." A hand fell on his chest and she could feel it, the worry, always the worry, always the thoughts. "You know most people have fun at parties. Or get black out drunk and make regretable decisions, either are acceptable" She wanted him to speak, say anything at all, yell at her was not top of her list but as the silence grew long she'd take it. "Geralt?" And in such the smallest percentage that only she could have picked up on it the worry lessened, but an ocean with a drop removed is still an ocean.

"Your breathing." It hadn't improved from the dungeon there was still a shortness there that didn't belong. "Is off."

"It'll come back." She hugged herself tight to him, nuzzling aimlessly against his heartbeat. She was cold, colder than usual, he wouldn't let it go.

"What are you hiding now Anima?" Worry bled with annoyance. Not all his trust was so easily regained. He gave a tug at her firey hair, at the sound of a bemused yelp a quick soothing pet came behind it.

"Things I don't want to think about." Her hands found their way tracing between his tensed shoulder blades, holding all the world's woes. Again with the omissions, again she hadn't lied. Again the closeness was taming the worrief wolf. If he could hold her she was safe, he convinced himself despite knowing better.

"Yoo hoo!" Jaskier rolled his eyes wondering how he always found himself in this spot. "Now you have no excuse. Either of you, not to enjoy yourself, while more importantly enjoying how lucky you are to be friends with me." He jeastured a shoulder in the direction of the castle doors.

"You two go on in I'll-" She went to pull away but the hold in her hair clenched in a jolt. An angry sigh, dispelling all air from his body warned her not to move, not to leave him with all the chattering humans again. They were her friends not his, it would be cruel to leave him. Annoyance aside, if he let go it could get to her, whatever she was blocking from her mind, whatever she didn't trust Geralt to protect her from. "You're fine." She kissed at the base of his sternum. _'You're enough, just enough man, more than enough beast.'_ He could feel her nose scrunch against the unfamiliar fabric of his loaned doublet. "Geralt I'm sorry that I've stressed you, but just a little while longer." She made another attempt to pull away and this time he let her, fist balling at his side once no longer holding her, waiting for an assault from the bushes. ' _I loved you, I love you, I'll continue loving you so long as you stay enough. Don't become too much man, stay just enough beast. So long as you keep me safe.'_ There were the words that said and the words Geralt heard and this was another fine line he chose to ignore.

"But it would sully Jaskier's festivites, ones Thill and me to a lesser extent worked so hard on mind you. To go in like this." He had noticed her off breathing, noticed her lack of warmth. he hadn't noticed how unkempt she had looked, not even when staring at her. Fingers locked in her hair he hadn't noticed the knotts and dirt. "I've been fresher." She gave herself a sour sniff.

"Geralt probably couldn't tell, used to the smell of onions." Jaskier smirked.

' _Like onions, like me.'_ She did, less of tea leaves and dried fruit, each time she was smelling more and more like him, it wasn't quiet onions but another sharp and earthy scent that was soley Geralt. While he understood that onion is not an odor any woman would want to be synomous with, it lifted his melencoly slightly. Part of him enjoyed the notion that he lingered on her, wanted to lean his lore to his liking and believe the scent of him could ward off any manner of man or beast that would wish her harm.

"There's a winter cherry pie in there Geralt and I aim to have a slice so if you don't trust that I'll wash and clothe quickly to come back to you trust in that." She jabbed a sarcastic finger where she had previously kissed before disapearing into the dark.

"Can we please go in now?" Jaskier whined when he was confident Geralt's full unwavering attention was no longer locked on Anima.

"Fine. Though this place bothers me." Geralt grumbled as he followed behind the bard.

"The castle? I could get used to it if I'm being honest."

"There's something wrong. Something's happened." The blinders Anima placed on him did not hold in her absense.

"Yes, we should be weary of all that training you've frenzied Anima into, with the spell she's already got you under you'll be on a leash in no time."

"Not that." Geralt snorted, he would have felt it, her heartbeat veining into his, even if he had it wouldn't have mattered, he wouldn't have cared.

"Well whatever it is . . . someone better keep tabs on in it. Best not to be late next time, course you'd have better eyes on her if we took-" Jaskier felt an unfamiliar level of concern for Anima, Thill's vauge retelling did give credence to the thought that Anima might fight to prove herself or die trying. He chalked it up to knowing of course she was selfish enough to do so, leaving his poor emotionaly stunted friend the Witcher broken.

"Have your day Jaskier." Geralt got as close to saying happy birthday as his jaw would allow, patting the man on the back releasing him to his wilds, his beasts, the nobels.

He sat and he listened, for her footsteps, her hearbeat, some sign of her but time past and even Geralt's ears got swept up in some fourth or fifth encore of Jaskier's. Eyes looking for her were blinded by all manner of drunks dancing and hugging, jeasturing wildly at tales that bear repeating. His nose smelling for her had kept a tight lock on the pie she swore she'd return for, sitting gaurded behind an arm rested at his table. If she didn't come soon he'd eat it himself out of spite.

All his senses fully distracted could be the only explanation for how she snuck up on him. She sat right in his lap as if she belonged there. All fabric and fuss, bound tight in odd places, it looked uncomfortable. Her hair was braided baring her neck in with an impracticality garish fashion. As he overcame the shock of being pounced on he placed hands on her shoulders to push this stranger off. Before he did he noticed, tea leaves and dried fruit. "Anima?" She had lost the smell of him, any warding ability it had given had been washed from her.

"Were you expecting someone else Geralt?" Her head craned back and no matter of bathing or dressing would disguise her coy aura.

"I wasn't." Hands followed the curve of her shoulders trailed down her arms and brought his hands to their home at her waist. "You haven't missed much." He let his chin rest on her collar bone, any intrest this party had held for him was leaving in buckets. He pulled her closer hoping they could vanish from their spot. After moments of waiting to be swallowed up by a convenient portal a new set of motions caught his attention. "You don't want to dance do you?" His eyes watched as Anima's foot tapped along to a song.

"What?" Anima couldn't help but laugh at the thought. She noticed her tapping and halted abruptly. One hand moved from her waist to her knee, thumbing spiraticly over it.

"I didn't like asking the first time." Annoyance was all Geralt had left, he had been stretched too far.

"I wouldn't put you through anymore tonight you've had quiet the . . company." She smiled, placing her hand over his.

"If you want-" He didn't want her to be one way or the other, she wasn't a Lyrian nobel and looked off dressing as one but she wasn't a Witcher, he didn't wish her a pickled onion. She could have her teas with Fredrick, her jam, her dances, she was entitiled to her light human flights of fancy.

"If I want to dance I'll dance. Geralt stop over thinking. My happiness is not your constant duty. Look at them-" She pointed to the drunken mosh of party goers. "No one will notice if I go twirling alone." She stood from her spot comfortably in his lap. Her arms extended out like plucked wings, she began to spin carelessly, almost spitefully out of rythm to the song, mumbling the few words she knew, fully enjoying being careless.

"I notice." Annoyance was still all he had left but all the same he stood, taking her hand in his. She hadn't asked and so he didn't dance. His hand encouraged her spins, at points worrying he'd swirl her sick but despite her cold hand, her short breath, the smiles it spurred was worth any of their discomfort.

The song came to an end and Jaskier was hesitant to start another. Eyes had drifted from him over to Geralt and Anima. _'Gawks and comanded parlor tricks.'_ Those eyes he had basked in were now glued to the pair, outside of familiar faces the glances were mocking and full of either resentment or pity. They thought the Witcher and Empath were trying and failing to immitate humanity. Jaskier knew better, was getting to know them better. Geralt and Anima had no desires to be human, to pretend to be what they once were. They were moving forward, clumsy and out of step but in a way that only made sense to them. Anima had impulse issues, doing everything in concerning selfish excess. Geralt had control issues, either entirely in or willfuly disbeliving he was out of it. It was a dance that worked. She was light enough, but not too light to fly away, he was sturdy enough to hold her, not in place but mid motion.

"Bard do you need a break?" Thom finally questioned the silence.

"I need my spotlight back." Jaskier shook his head approaching the pair. "Anima you look tired."

"What every girl loves to hear." Her red cheeks bridged a smile.

"Geralt you should be a sport and take her home don't you think?"

"And leave your party early? I don't know much of birthdays I thought we were to leave gifts not get them." Geralt wasn't the best at reading faces but he could tell Jaskier was trying to convey something, trying to be poinent and purposeful.

"Gods now you've gone and got him overthinking." Anima sighed, approaching Jaskier she ruffled his hair feeling for the bard trying his best. Leaning in she hugged him tight. "It doesn't bother us Jaskier." She whispered in his ear.

"Huh?"

"We're not blind, we see them." If Anima and Geralt froze in mortal fear everytime a human gave disaproving glances they'd be good as marble. "Alright maybe it bothers." She re thought her words as she noted Jaskier feeling enough guilt for the whole human race. "But not as much as it bothers those that matter." She reminded him that despite alluding otherwise they didn't view all humans as shallow pests. "It bothers you and I'm-" Sorry wasn't the right word but the exact emotion was something Anima could feel but not voice. "And Thill worked too hard for you to grow bothered it the last stretch. So I will be taking this pie-" She lifted the desert Geralt had protected from any wandering gaze. "And we'll be going. If that's alright with you Geralt?"

"Oh now what I want is matters?" He really was a wall of annoyance.

"Thank you Anima I'm-" Again sorry was the wrong word. "I don't hate you."

"Watch out for this sweet talker Geralt. He's fitting to sweep me off my feet." Anima laughed as she waved goodbyes to her friends.

"Hmm." Geralt was nearly free, he hadn't seen such a glorious exit in his entire life.

"Happy Birthday Jaskier!" And they were gone.

"Are you breathing between bites?" A more compasonite or mindful Geralt would have considered that maybe Anima had not been fed rightfuly in the dungeon, but the annoyance had not staid behind in the castle.

"I thought you'd be happy for some silence. I'll chew softer." Anima took smaller and more delibrite bites at the pie as they sat in the kitchen of Thill's blissfully empty home. It should have made him happy, his ears had been near bleeding all day but this wasn't bringing the relief it should have.

"I don't like it." He pondered what he wanted, what he was saying, he had been so swept up in all these loud clashing personalities he had lost his own muted desires.

"What's that?" She was patient, her mind to it she really could be, she would wait till sunrise for him to speak.

"The dress." Still thinking and figuring he went with what was right infront of him. Covering and flaunting Anima in ways that unsettled him.

"Have you been taking courting tips from Jaskier?" Anima laughed, placing her fork on the table before approaching Geralt. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"Well are you just going to sit and scowl about it?" She ran nails up and down the back of his neck. "Don't over think Geralt."

It should have been simple enough but there were so many layers, ties and buckles that had never seemed so frustrating on other women but they were enraging him beyond belief. A loud tear pierced through the dark kitchen, a second and a third till she was exposed, held by the small of her back against him completely bare. The offending garment gone, Geralt stopped, waiting, he watched. He wasn't an empath but he did his best to scan her eyes to pinpoint her reaction. There was shock and fear and self conciousness in the saucers holding his gaze but there was trust, hunger and love in equal measure. She felt warmer, pink cheeks rubbed against his skin as she kissed softly even nervously up his neck. It was still wrong, he was still frustrated, he pulled out her tight braid the scent of soaked tea leaves was pricking at his nose. He wanted her to smell of him again, to engulf her and keep her safe. Her hands at his chest worked as little defense, he had pinned her down, her back smoothing long across the table. He kissed her, the sweet and sour taste of winter cherry melting away, just the bare taste of her remaining. A hand satisfied she wouldn't move slide a long and winding route from hips to her navel, up to an pert breast, kneading a moan from her. "I've missed you Geralt." She cooed as voluntary or not he felt just enough of a buck from her hips. He was only then made him painfully aware that he was fully clothed. "Now I don't have the strength to tear ypur pants from you but-" She invited him to join her in the bareness. He didn't disrobe, not straight away. It was his turn to be just out of reach. He didn't speak he watched for a moment as her hips rose again, asking again for him. "You know there are beds in this home Geralt. One of them is even mine." The invitation was still too poliet, too cautious. He slid a finger inside her, her hips again pressing, wanting, accepting as others joined.

Time was eating away at Anima's restraint. "Geralt!" At least now she shared in his frustration. He felt her hands fumble off his jacket and tunic seeking any bit of his flesh. He remained quiet, dutifly edging her. Content to listen to her hisses and curses, watching as her hips rose higher and higher. Before she would bend and snap he stopped, retracting. "I . . ." Her face was half between desperate and determined.

"What Anima?"

"Geralt" Her fingernails dug into his bicep.

"Out with it." He knew what he needed what would fix the frustration, it was her want, unbridled by Lyrian morals and confines, her bare want.

"Please." Pink rose higher in her cheeks. Her eyes clenched shut as she moved herself in any direction that scratched at the itch, if he wouldn't give her relief she'd take it. But she wouldn't, he stopped her, holding her hips to the table with authority.

"I'll do what you want Anima. All you have to do is ask." He wanted her to know she was in control, held in place, on a kitchen table, writhing in want, the control was hers.

"I . . .please Geralt . . . Just fuck me Geralt, please." Eyes still shut, now tighter in embarrassment at the sound of her voice did not see Geralt finally pulling down his trousers finally entering her, finally giving into her bare want.

"Anything Anima." Quickly she crested on him once he obliged her. "More" He grunted brutishly as he doubled his efforts, pace and purpose equally the table creaking beneath, she tensed and pulsed again. When she warned him that she needed to catch her breath, that she might break. "Everything Anima." He scooped her up, on to him, erupting into her she crumpled in his hold. He kept her there for a moment, content to do so till his arms gave out, but then she was cold again.

He placed her carefully back to the table, peeling his jacket off the floor, placing it over her shoulders, cloaking her in his sharp earthy essence. He could no longer play off her short breaths as pleasing pants. "Anima." He tucked some of her hair behind an ear. He wondered if her name had the same effect, if she felt the love in every call for her.

"All that and your already back to thinking? Either your insatable or I'm underwhelming." Her head lobbed back in a chuckle. "Lets just lie down a bit." She took his hand in hers finally guiding him back to her proper bed.

"Not underwhelming." He watched as she switched from his jacket into a nightgown, his annoyance washed by a warm hum of appeasement. He let out a scoff as she burrowed deep in too many covers, an arm slinking round his waist beckoning him to join her. Never enjoying the small spoon position he shuffled toros and limbs to hold her in a way that felt natural.

"You don't need to worry Geralt." She could feel it sitting under the skin against her. "My breath will come back. I'll be more careful next time." She didn't want to argue, she wanted to sleep.

"Hmm." He had retorts, questions, statements but he held them back, enjoying the moment. He was holding her, which meant she was safe and he wasn't sure he'd believe that by Jaskier's next birthday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't love this chapter as much as others but I couldn't just leave them all dressed up with nowhere to go. I think I'll leave Lyria for the next fic, either a monster of the week or Kaer Morhen. Plot whithout peril isn't my strong suit I just want to keep writing.

**Author's Note:**

> I know this seemed a lot of secondary characters and not a lot of Geralt / Anima but I gave about 10 heavy angst ridden chapters to them, figured they needed a break, give the others some time to shine.


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